LIFE-HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF IMMATURE STAGES OF VALENTIBULLA-CALIFORNICA (COQUILLETT) (DIPTERA, TEPHRITIDAE) ON CHRYSOTHAMNUS-NAUSEOSUS (PALLAS) BRITTON IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Valentibulla californica (Coquillett) is univoltine and nearly monopha gous on Chrysothamnus nauseosus (Pallas) Britton (Asteraceae). The lar vae develop in short, subsurface mines mostly formed basally in curren t season's branches, and are not easily detected on infested plants. T hey cause limited swellings, not readily detectable galls. The egg, se cond and third instar larva, and puparium are described and figured. T he egg, described for the first time for this genus, is unique among n onfrugivorous, California tephritids studied to date because of its el lipsoidal-fusiform shape, acutely tapered posterior, and its prominent , anterior pedicel bearing aeropyles of two distinct diameters. The th ird instar characteristically is shagreened, i.e. only the integument of the gnathocephalon, the anterior third of the prothorax, and a smal l area surrounding the posterior spiracular plates are not covered by minute, dome-shaped verrucae. The puparium also maintains the shagreen ed surface. Premating, mating, and postmating behaviors are described; they are few, and similar to the closely related genus, Aciurina. Hym enopterous parasitoids of V. californica include three species of chal cidoids reared as primary, solitary, endoparasitoids from isolated pup aria: Eupelmus sp. (Eupelmidae), Eurytoma sp. (Eurytomidae), and Halti coptera sp. (Pteromalidae).